NASA's Curiosity rover completes first year on Mars

Dr. James Green, director of planetary sciences, NASA

Curiosity touched down on Mars one year ago. The mission has been a great success
for NASA, but the fun is just starting.

"Curiosity ended up landing in what we think is an ancient riverbed," Dr. James
Green, NASA's director of planetary sciences told Federal News Radio's Lauren
Larson. "There's plenty of clues and signs all around that water flowed in this area
for thousands, if not millions, of years. It rounded pebbles it created
conglomerates. It looks just like dried up riverbeds here in the United States."

These discoveries point to Mars at one time being a blue planet similar to Earth,
with flowing water, an extensive atmosphere and an ability to support life.

NASA headquarters is marking the anniversary by reviewing the highlights of
Curiosity's scientific discoveries and looking ahead to when human beings may one
day colonize the red planet.

"Curiosity is a huge step towards actually having humans on Mars," Green said.
"Curiosity, by being in its location, is interrogating the past of Mars. But it's
also making measurements of what Mars is like today. ... These huge steps enable us
to plan for future humans actually landing and living on Mars, in 20, perhaps in 30
years."